Why the heck would I do all this?

Because creating IYM was the single best way I knew to be accountable to myself and my family. What I've learned about money, finance, and behavior, I've written here, so that hopefully others can avoid some of the bumps and bashings that I absorbed. Revamping my Money Life wasn't always fun, but I made mistakes that had to be reckoned with. And hey — the worst mistakes are the ones you learn nothing from. (Come to think about it, we Americans do a darn fine job of making mistakes ... and going on to learn nothing from them!)

Yeah. So here we go: At its root, I think, IYM just offers some info and a simple approach:

Life and money are interlinked:   Success in one rarely exists without success in the other. Strengthen your finances, and you strengthen your life.

In this endeavor, the best plans are the ones that work for you.



Maybe you were taught this stuff, or maybe you weren't. Maybe you just didn't figure it would matter. These articles cover the basics — and the not-so-basics — of understanding why we approach our finances the way we do, and learning how we can start taking control of our money. You'll find ideas from authors and personalities like Suze Orman (12 Steps From Debt), Dave Ramsey (The Baby Steps and the Debt Snowball), Mary Hunt (The Freedom Account), Philip "Dr. Phil" McGraw (Life Laws, Money Laws), and Thomas Stanley and William Danko (7 Factors of Wealth). Take the most important step of all with the detailed write-ups which accompany our Spending Plan and Freedom Account materials. And that's just for starters.


Get ready to hit the books . . . and the 'net. Great financial resources abound! You can find valuable sites, news, and writing at Good Stuff on the 'Net. Our Reading List and Book Reviews highlight some of the best personal-finance books out there.


Learn how to help keep yourself on track with Project: Motivation. Let your creativity and your money work together, and harness a bit of the internet's power by constructing your own Personal Goals and Weblog pages.


When it comes to winning with money, you gotta know the numbers ... and you gotta love free. The most popular page on our site lists our various Excel spreadsheets for home and personal use. Recently we've also done what any self-respecting financial site on the 'net would do: We're adding a stash of financial calculators.


Writing on a plethora of topics — some standard, and some pretty off-kilter. Article subjects range from investing in bonds to hacking down trees to blatant consumer idiocy to just plain ol' life in general. Oh, and automobiles. We love to talk automobiles.


Stand back as I rant and rave on my blog, Money Musings. Talk to me by email. Learn a little more about me, or make a financial donation to the upkeep of IYM, if you're so inclined. And what would this site be without a wordy disclaimer?